Under the Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order No. 209, as amended), a foreigner who wishes to contract marriage in the Philippines—whether to a Filipino citizen or to another foreigner—must obtain a marriage license from the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) where the marriage will be solemnized. The legal framework requires the foreigner to prove legal capacity under both Philippine law and their own national law.
The cornerstone document for any foreigner is the Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (CLC), also known as the "Affidavit of Legal Capacity" or "Certificate of Singleness and Legal Capacity." This document is issued exclusively by the embassy or consular office of the foreigner’s country of nationality stationed in the Philippines.
Standard Documents Required from the Foreigner
The following documents must be submitted in original form, together with at least two photocopies of each:
Valid Passport
- Bio-data page must be clearly legible.
- Must be valid for at least six months beyond the intended date of marriage.
Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (CLC)
- Issued by the foreigner’s own Embassy/Consulate in the Philippines (Manila, Cebu, or Davao, depending on nationality).
- States that the foreigner is legally free to marry under the laws of his/her country.
- Usually valid for six months from issuance.
- Most embassies require the applicant to submit: passport, birth certificate, CENOMAR (if previously resided in the Philippines), and proof of termination of any prior marriage.
Birth Certificate
- Issued by the competent authority of the foreigner’s country of birth.
- Must be in English or accompanied by an official English translation.
- Since the Philippines joined the Apostille Convention in 2019, documents from other Apostille countries must bear an Apostille; documents from non-Apostille countries require authentication by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate in the country of origin followed by DFA authentication in Manila (red ribbon).
Proof of Termination of Previous Marriage (if applicable)
- Death of previous spouse (widow/widower): Certified true copy of the death certificate, apostilled or authenticated.
- Annulment or Divorce:
- Certified true copy of the foreign divorce decree or annulment judgment.
- Official English translation.
- Apostille or DFA authentication.
- Most critically: a Philippine Regional Trial Court decision granting judicial recognition of the foreign divorce (under the second paragraph of Article 26 of the Family Code, as interpreted by Republic v. Orbecido and subsequent jurisprudence). Without this judicial recognition, most LCROs will refuse to issue a marriage license.
Parental Consent (if 18–20 years old)
- Written consent of parents or legal guardian, notarized and authenticated/apostilled.
Parental Advice (if 21–24 years old)
- Notarized written advice from parents, authenticated/apostilled.
Affidavit of Marital Consent (if required by the specific LCRO or embassy)
- Sometimes requested when the foreigner has lived in the Philippines for an extended period.
Additional Requirements Common to Mixed Marriages
CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
Many embassies now require the foreigner to obtain a CENOMAR to prove that he/she has not contracted any marriage in the Philippines.Valid Philippine Visa
While not strictly a marriage document, the foreigner must be legally in the country. A tourist visa is generally acceptable, but some LCROs prefer a longer-term visa (e.g., 9(a) or SRRV).
Procedure Summary
- Foreigner obtains CLC from their Embassy in the Philippines.
- Foreigner gathers all authenticated/apostilled documents.
- Both parties appear personally at the LCRO of the intended place of marriage.
- Filing of Application for Marriage License.
- 10-day publication of the application (posted at the LCRO and two other conspicuous places).
- Payment of legal fees and community tax certificate (CEDULA).
- Issuance of Marriage License (valid for 120 days nationwide).
- Solemnization of marriage by an authorized person (judge, priest, imam, consul, etc.).
- Registration of the Marriage Certificate with the LCRO within 15 days.
Special Notes
- Both parties foreigners: Both must obtain their respective CLCs from their own embassies.
- Proxy marriage: Not permitted under Philippine law. Both parties must appear personally before the solemnizing officer.
- Muslim personal law: If both parties are Muslims, they may marry under Presidential Decree No. 1083 (Code of Muslim Personal Laws), in which case the CLC may be replaced by a Sharia-compliant certificate from the embassy.
- Same-sex marriage: Not legally recognized in the Philippines as of 2026.
- Remote/Online marriage: Not recognized for license purposes.
Failure to present any of the required documents, particularly the CLC and the judicial recognition of foreign divorce (where applicable), will result in the denial of the marriage license. Civil registrars have no discretion to waive these requirements.